Shout to the Lord : making worship music in evangelical America / Ari Y. Kelman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kelman, Ari Y., 1971- author.

Series:

North American religions

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Music in churches--United States.

Music in churches.

Public worship--United States.

Public worship.

United States.

Evangelicalism--United States.

Evangelicalism.

Physical Description:

xvi, 205 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : New York University Press, [2018]

Summary:

Music is a nearly universal feature of congregational worship, so ingrained in the experience of being at church that it is often misunderstood to be synonymous with prayer. However, while musical style and collective singing have the power to facilitate worship, there is the risk that the experience of the music might eclipse the worship it was written to facilitate. As a result, those committed to making music for worship are constantly reminded that they write, perform, and record songs for people who might use their songs to express themselves, as directly as possible, to God. This book shines a new light on how people who make music for worship also make worship from music. Based on interviews with more than 75 songwriters, worship leaders, and music industry executives, Shout to the Lord maps the social dimensions of sacred practice, illuminating how the producers of worship music understand the role of songs as both vehicles for, and practices of, faith and identity. This book explores the effort required to write songs inspiring enough to facilitate prayer but informed by the understanding that songs alone can never quite suffice as prayer. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction: Why make music?

Making worship and music: expression, experience, and education

Songwriting: writing songs anyone can sing

Leading worship: making music in congregations

Selling the spirit: making worship music in the marketplace

Conclusion: Saved by songs.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781479844685

1479844683

9781479863679

147986367X

OCLC:

1006806326

Publisher Number:

99977342730